Currently, antibiotics are a standard therapy for bacterial infections. However, some individuals have an allergic reaction to certain antibiotics, others suffer from side effects associated with antibiotics, and the continued use of antibiotics often leads to a reduction in their efficacy. In addition, antibiotic therapy often leads to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria. Accordingly, there is a continuing need for new anti-bacterial agents that are effective in fighting infection without generating resistance or reducing the efficacy overtime. There is a need for non-antibiotic anti-bacterial agents that can be used in clinical settings, e.g., in the treatment of infectious diseases of the skin, digestive and respiratory tract, and in wound treatment.
Wound infection is one type of bacterial infection. Wound infection is a major complication, especially in patients with chronic disease such as diabetes or during immunosuppression. Such patients have disruptions in appropriate inflammatory responses, including the migration and recruitment of neutrophils and macrophages, which predisposes them to increased infection (Singer, A. J. and R. A. Clark, 1999, N Engl J Med 341(10): 738-46). In addition, bacterial infection can lead to impairment of wound healing and sepsis. Given the ineffectiveness of many current antibiotic treatments and the increased prevalence of antibiotic resistant bacteria such as MRSA (Methycillin-resistant S. aureus), new clinical treatments are in high demand.